Birth with Joy Midwifery

Hello,

I am Joy Coonfield, LM, CPM. I am an Arkansas Licensed Midwife and I am a Certified Professional Midwife. I serve Northwest Arkansas, Northeast Oklahoma, and Southwest Missouri. I have been actively involved in home birth since 2001. I love home birth and feel that God has led me to being a midwife as a ministry. I believe that birth is a normal and natural event, yet so intimate and special; what better place to experience it than in the comfort of your own home.

Labor is a spiritual experience of enormous importance to both the woman and her baby. While women experience various life-changing events during pregnancy, the experience of giving birth is so significant that most women in old age continue to remember their birth experience as though they had happened yesterday. This makes the totality of birth experience one of the most pivotal in a woman’s life.

Support of a Licensed Midwife during your labor, birth and immediate postpartum period

Water birth, I love water births

Newborn physical examination

Twenty-four hour and one week postpartum home visits following birth

Breastfeeding assistance and support

Postpartum office visit at six weeks

Women in the United States are learning that pregnancy and childbirth are normal, healthy processes, not diseases. And they are finding out that they and their families can benefit from the care of a midwife. Here are some benefits in choosing to have a home birth with a midwife. Respectful Treatment

Willingness to support your birth plan, including any family members and friends you may want present at the birth.

Freedom to move, eat, bathe - to do what helps you during labor and birth; your midwife doesn't "prohibit" or "allow," but patiently supports and guides you as needed.

Respect for the birth process as it unfolds uniquely each time. Although amazing, being pregnant and giving birth are actually normal life processes for which a woman's body is well-designed. Each woman's experience is unique.

Respectful care regardless of setting, although at present this kind of care is most readily found in homes and birth centers.

Personal Attention

Prenatal visits that allow plenty of time for questions and answers - I schedule an hour for each prenatal appointment.

Meaningful discussions to explore and help resolve fears and concerns you or your family may have.

Caring attention to develop a trusting and nurturing relationship with you and your family that can help you to labor and give birth naturally and safely.

Plenty of Information

Plenty of information about pregnancy, birth and the newborn, and about breastfeeding and newborn care.

Suggestions about ways you can take good care of yourself and your baby.

Encouragement and practical suggestions for you to have good nutrition and make healthy lifestyle choices.

Full information about any recommended tests, procedures or treatments so you can make informed choices about your care.

Appropriate Monitoring

Regular and thorough check-ups for you and your baby throughout your pregnancy, during labor, and after the birth, to make sure both of you are healthy and doing well.

Recommendations for diagnostic technology when appropriate.

Planning with you for the unexpected and for the rare emergency.

Referrals to other health care specialists or to a different birth setting if needed.

Expertise in normal, natural childbirth. Because they are experts in normal pregnancy and birth, midwives are experienced in the variations of normal birth and recognize the early signs of conditions that are not "normal," including as medical conditions or complications that may occasionally arise during pregnancy or the birth process.

Confidence in Your Body

Help with discovering your own body's ability to give birth, in its own way and in its own time.

Truly individualized care, privacy and natural childbirth.

Support for doing the work of giving birth. Rather than someone else "delivering" the baby, you are empowered to give birth to your own baby yourself!

Natural Techniques for Comfort

Help you cope with the discomfort of labor. Midwives have found that encouragement, massage, relaxation, laboring in water, changing positions and other approaches are often very effective.

Encourage the progress of labor and help you give birth to your baby gently and lovingly.

Help you avoid risks (to yourself and to your baby) that are associated with many standard medical techniques and hospital protocols.

A Care Provider Who Will Stay with You

Attentive, sensitive care and emotional support in tune with your needs, throughout labor. Research has shown that having a "sympathetic female companion" with you all through labor and delivery reduces the chance of complications and the likelihood of an unnecessary cesarean section.

Post-partum care and help with breastfeeding. After your baby is born, I will stay with you until breastfeeding is established and both you and your baby are resting comfortably. I will arrange a visit after the birth to check you and your baby and to answer any questions.